walterfootball.com is a good site for mock drafts. There's two different guys that seem to do a new mock everyday.
For those of you that want to get an idea of the kind of players that are available in the first round of this years draft.
Take a look: http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/mock-d...-brooks/165602
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
walterfootball.com is a good site for mock drafts. There's two different guys that seem to do a new mock everyday.
Not sure if these guys have the pulse of the league. I used to like reading what they posted but until recently they still had Gino Smith going #1 and Shareef Floyd wasn't even listed in the first round. Don't mind what the bleacher report has for their mock but that website just drives me nuts, especially on the iPad.
I'd put my money on the Bills selecting Matt Barkley at 8. He's proven capable of coming into an org and taking over - a leader. And Bills are going to need that quality.
@SmittysRant
14 Team H2H Dynasty League (14 keepers, no farm)
Weekly Starts (3C, 5W, 5D, 1Util, 2G)
G, A, PPP, SOG, BS, +/-, GAA, W+OTL, SV%
C: MacKinnon/Eichel/Kopitar/Pinto/Wright
W: Ovechkin/Toffoli/Necas/Giroux/E.Kane/K.Johnson/Schmaltz/Bjorkstrand
D: Dobson/Trouba/Mintyukov/Gostisbehere/Edvinsson/York
G: Saros/Demko/Askarov
Geez, I think any team looking to solve their issues at quarterback in this draft is gonna be SOL. Personally, if I was running a team with no quarterback I'd be looking to spend my top pick elsewhere so that at least my team is good once I find a quarterback. I wouldn't mind spending a second or a third round pick on a QB but not a first. If desperation is setting in to get a QB in the first round then I'm trading down to take the gun out of my own hands to prevent from shooting myself in the head or foot.
Agreed. But Geno has one solid pro-day and everyone gushes. Local radio talking heads, especially. When Marrone was hired, all ya heard was how the Bills just HAD to pick Nassib at the 8th spot - Nassib-this and Nassib-that etc.
Now after Geno's pro-day, it's as if Nassib is all but forgotten and the pundits are falling over themselves to get to Smith.
Which is why I like Barkley. Not purely out of spite, mind you. But he's got the brains, decent size, and leadership ability. Arm strength can be improved.
@SmittysRant
Which is all well and good but if you are gonna go that route then you either:
1) Trade down to get multiple picks so rather than using such a high value choice on a guy who shouldn't go there simply because of need you fall back to take that guy at a more reasonable draft slot and add another pick or two (or three) to do so. The spray and pray approach.
2) trade down/out and land 1sts in later years - basically betting that you'll get your starting QB either by having multiple valued assets or that either your future pick or theirs will allow you to draft one.
3) draft a stud at another position and then wait/trade up from the second or third round to draft your guy. This way you draft a sure fire piece and then the most definitely CAN-miss quarterback you want can be drafted at a more reasonable draft slot.
Baltimore actually did a combination of 1 and 3 in '08 when they drafted Flacco. They traded back in the first adding two thirds and a fourth and then used one of those thirds and a sixth to trade up a little to ensure they got their guy even though he was rated a second rounder prior to the draft. And they did so starting with the exact pick the Bills have now.
I don't mind the idea of the Bills going out of their way to draft the guy they really want but simply using the 8th pick on any of these guys is overkill.
I like this site for mocks:
NFL Draft Geek
As for available QB's this year, I agree there's no can't miss superstar available but I think Smith, Barkley and a couple of others can become quality starting QB's over time. I just wouldn't want to be in the position to have to throw them into the starting role now.
Buffalo will take Smith at 8, but if they trade down it means they are not concerned whether they get Smith or one of the other top QB's. Too many other QB needy teams in the draft. We see it every year where QB's get drafted much higher than they are ranked.
I think a lot of GMs have become quite skeptical in regards to pro-days with QBs especially when Alex Smith and Jamarcus Russell have had 2 of the best pro days in recent years and we both know how they turned out. I think a lot of teams are going to look at the troubles he had versus K-state, Texas tech and Syracuse (which Marrone had a front row seat for). But I could be wrong ... Some GM's get a huge boner over some guys.
Like MetalDude said I would trade down, but then pick the highest rated WR on the board and then whatever you got for trading down to help you move up in the 2nd round to select your QB. Moving up here will be essential as Jax, Ari, and maybe even the Jets are all ahead of them and they are very likely to select their QB's here. Barring trades I think it's safe to say that nobody with picks 11-32 will be looking for a QB based on the comfort level they have with their own players, other needs or the level of talent available at the position this year.
The problem with Buffalo trading down is I don't see a 'must-have' player at 8 that teams will pony up the price to move up for other than a spot or two. I don't see the Bills getting multiple picks from a team trading way up for that pick.
Still a good strategy if they are confident their QB will last a few more slots in the first round.
If Milner or Jones is available still someone might bite and I can see both available. I've read many reports about about Jones quite possibly being the most explosive player out there but the spinal stuff might scare some teams off. One team may move up to take a chance on him
It depends on the price but I can tell you that a lot of the teams near the bottom have picks to move. They may not be great picks but for instance Baltimore and Atlanta just got four compensatory picks. They can't move those picks but they can move their other picks and having those compensatory picks makes that easier. San Fran also has a buttload of picks to move. Those teams are probably too far down to make it worthwhile for Buffalo to move down but they do have assets to dangle.
Minnesota and St. Louis are both teams seemingly on the rise and have multiple 1st rounders. It's possible that they see someone that is a can't miss, must have and would dangle both to move up or at the very least wouldn't be too concerned about losing their 2nd or 3rd rounder in a move up. So they'd be the teams to target if you are Buffalo.
At the very least I hope they are kicking the tires and having these discussions because simply drafting a QB at 8 is seemingly the worst option unless you know he is the solution.